{UAH} Pojim/WBK: Mr President, it’s not the Constitution failing development - Commentary

http://www.monitor.co.ug/OpEd/Commentary/Mr-President--it-s-not-the-Constitution-failing-development/-/689364/3024786/-/vdd165z/-/index.html

Mr President, it's not the Constitution failing development

On January 6, Daily Monitor reported that during a function in Ntungamo to pass out 10,000 youth who trained in entrepreneurship, President Museveni alluded that restrictions in the Constitution are preventing him from achieving national development. If this is true, then the President may have missed some crucial points.

The truth is that since the President took power in 1986, Uganda has registered some development, now termed as ''steady progress'', which level of development is not commensurate with the expectations of Ugandans, particularly given the expectations created by the development zeal the President exuded through his speeches and blackboard lectures in the early years of his rule and administration. This is precisely the reason a sizeable population in Uganda is now clamouring for change in State House; many now doubt the President's promises.

I would like to thank the President for boldly admitting the national development failures. In case Ugandans give him another chance on February 18, he has to urgently craft an ambitious plan to move Uganda forward. He must first go back to the drawing board to exhaustively diagnose the actual drawbacks of his 30-year rule that have inhibited his government from delivering tangible national development.

The points I want our President to note is that national development can mainly be achieved by putting in place appropriate systems that work efficiently. Uganda's problem is, therefore, not the Constitution per se but rather the total breakdown of systems ranging from dilapidated infrastructure to unethical, lazy and corrupt employees, leading to poor performance to the detriment of government reputation. There is urgent need to overhaul government institutions, equip them with the vibrant and youthful employees and managers who are highly knowledgeable and tech-savvy to match emerging innovative technologies.

There is also need to clean up government offices to rid them of none-performers who have failed to create positive change in their line of duty and responsibility and put in place a new ambitious work force. I implore the President to critically consider – if he is reelected – an aggressive approach to effective monitoring performance of heads of government institutions. Going forward, every head of a government institution must be tasked with specific performance indicators and or deliverables that are aligned to the national development goals. They must be made to sign a performance scorecard upon which they must be appraised by an authoritative government body. If it means creating a body entirely tasked with such a noble role, let it be done. Many people who have been appointed and recycled in critical positions in government are sleeping on the job simply because there is lack of a robust individual performance monitoring mechanism.

Similarly, the morality of Ugandans inhibits national development. This is a grave problem manifested in many forms of recklessness such alcoholism, hooliganism, mob action, laziness, promiscuity, reckless driving, corruption, etc. Many Ugandans behave as if there is no law and order.

Uganda is gifted by nature, well endowed with good weather, loving with beautiful and peaceful people, immense natural fauna and flora, mineral resources and a vibrant youthful population which are catalysts to boost growth in order to achieve national development provided systems are made to work.

The President is aware that agriculture is the backbone of Uganda's economy. The sector, much as it's still largely rudimentary, employs close to 80 per cent of the population. If Uganda is to attain any meaningful and balanced development, the simple magic wand is to prioritise this sector in as far as government planning and budgetary allocation is concerned. Every sub-region in Uganda at least has an agricultural value chain to actively engage in and focus on, be it food or cash crop, or livestock.

Uganda's comparative advantage lies in agriculture and this has been tested. Poor planning by government technocrats could have let the President down thus the delay in modernising agriculture at a desired pace and focus on value addition.

There is no reason why a country like Uganda should continue importing fresh fruits such as apples and oranges from Egypt and South Africa when we have Kigezi and Teso sub-regions ideal for production of these fruits. It's embarrassing to import onions and garlic when the same can be produced in Bugisu and Kigezi sub-regions. This is an abomination, especially given the fact that Uganda has fertile soils and conducive weather. It's unacceptable for Uganda to import canned beef yet Ankole sub-region and many parts of our country are beehives of cattle rearing; it just doesn't add up. The agriculture sector has not been exploited enough to create jobs for the millions of unemployed Ugandans with or without pre-requite skills.

The national Constitution is a simple matter and if indeed it's constraining the President in achieving national development, then why hasn't the necessary amendments been made?

Mr Eyabu is a financial services consultant. ben_eyabu2@yahoo.co.uk

Mr President, it's not the Constitution failing development - Commentary

http://www.monitor.co.ug/OpEd/Commentary/Mr-President--it-s-not-the-Constitution-failing-development/-/689364/3024786/-/vdd165z/-/index.html

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